Spaghetti with clams

If you have time you can drain the clams in cold water and a pinch of salt, but to be sure that there is no sand the carpet-shells are to be beaten one by one on a work plan (or in the sink): this is how we ensure that those that may be full of slime will open immediately. If you use common clams, you cannot beat them, then you must drain.

Cook them in a terrine with olive oil, whole clove of garlic and white wine, pull them out through a strainer to remove eventual sand and strain the cooking liquid so that sand and bits of shells remain on the bottom. In another pan, then, put new oil and chopped garlic, fry and add the clams with their filtered cooking broth. Pour the pasta cooked al dente (we use the Barilla noodles, but also the fedelini of De Cecco go very well or, for those who prefer linguine, Gragnano) into the pan and let finish cooking with the clams adding a little of olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.

For a better sauce, more than half of the shells should be removed and left only the mollusk, it takes time but it’s worth it!